Is the Measles Death Rate in Children Only 1 in 106 Million?

Why do some people think that a child’s risk of dying with measles is only 1 in 106 million?

You can’t scare parents away from getting vaccinated and still say that they will have a minimal risk of dying from measles! As fewer people get vaccinated, measles outbreaks grow, and we get closer to where we were in the pre-vaccine era, when 300 to 500 kids, most otherwise healthy, would die each year. Not to mention those who died later with SSPE!

The usual suspects…

Is the Measles Death Rate in Children Only 1 in 106 Million?

Don’t be surprised though.

Saying your unvaccinated child’s risk of dying from measles is 1 in 106 million is like saying they have a minimal risk of drowning, but it is because they never take off their life jacket. Or comparing measles deaths to getting hit by lightning, not understanding that there are now few lightning strike deaths because most folks know to go inside when they hear thunder!

It is a well known tactic of anti-vaccine influencers to downplay the risks of vaccine preventable diseases, like measles.

Of course, all while they are also overstating the risks of vaccines.

But how can they think that the death rate from measles is less than 1 in 106 million children, when everyone else knows that it is more like 1 to 2 deaths for every 1,000 people with measles?

I mean, think about it…

Considering that there are only about 75 million children in the United States, that would be fewer than one death each year.

Measles cases and deaths were much more common before most people were vaccinated and then surged again during the epidemics in the early 1990s. That’s the true risk of death that you should be thinking about.

And that actually makes it easy to see that they are talking about the risk of death in a well vaccinated population, where measles in under good control, not the risk of dying during outbreaks or when you get measles.

It’s certainly not an unvaccinated child’s risk of dying, as we see more measles outbreaks, as fewer people get vaccinated.

It’s not even a child’s risk of dying with measles last year when two unvaccinated kids in Texas died!

Remember when Bob Sears used to say that a child’s risk of dying because they had measles was close to zero. Then kids started to die because they had measles…

So instead of this misleading measles death rate that is being promoted by anti-vaccine influencers, what should you be thinking about?

You should be thinking about your child’s risk of getting measles, especially if they are not vaccinated and protected with two age-appropriate doses of the MMR vaccine.

Almost all the children and adults in recent measles outbreaks have been unvaccinated, as were the two children in Texas who died last year, the child who died with SSPE, and the child in South Carolina who developed encephalitis.

Why?

Because:

• people with measles are contagious for up to 4 days before and 4 days after they develop a rash

• the measles virus remains infectious for up to 2 hours after a person with measles leaves an area

• if you are not vaccinated, you have a 90% chance of getting sick with measles if you are exposed and your risk is probably greatest if you regularly spend time with a lot of other people who are not vaccinated

• we are regularly hearing about exposures, especially in outbreak areas, at schools, churches, pharmacies, grocery stores, and restaurants.

• more people are getting measles without knowing how or when they were exposed

And of course, measles cases and outbreaks continue to reach record levels that we haven’t seen in over 30 years.

Your child’s risk of getting measles rises if you travel or there is an active outbreak in your area (think about early MMR doses for younger children). The risk also rises if they are around a lot of children and adults who are not vaccinated, as they could trigger the next outbreak.

So if your child does get measles, you should know that their risk of dying is much higher than 1 in 106 million.

That’s a made up statistic to help people feel better about their decision to skip or delay their child’s MMR vaccine, leaving them at risk to get measles.

Instead, your child’s risk of dying if they get sick with measles is the traditional 1 to 2 deaths for every 1,000 people with measles, even if they are otherwise healthy. Of course, if they are malnourished, immunosuppressed, or have chronic medical problems, then their risk of dying because they have measles is much higher.

Also, even if they survive having measles, which is likely, know that measles isn’t a mild disease that you want your child to have. And besides having immunity, which you just earned, but could have had with an MMR vaccine, there are no benefits to having measles.

At best, a typical case of measles, without complications, is a good week of a high fever - up to 104°F (40°C) to 105°F (40.6°C), deep cough, red, watery eyes that cause a dislike for bright light, sore throat, and irritability.

Bottom Line - don’t let anti-vaccine influencers scare you away from vaccinating and protecting yourself and your family. Don’t get measles and don’t start a measles outbreak.

More on Measles Risks

• That Time a Chiropractor in Texas Got Measles

• Measles is a very Scary Disease: Debunking the Myths

• Let’s Talk About Measles and MMR Myths

• Children’s Health Defense Blames Israeli Doctors for Measles Deaths

• What’s the Worst Thing About That Study of Deaths Following MMR Vaccination Going Around?

• The Return of Measles: A Global Health Crisis Unfolding

• Measles seizure risks outweigh rare vaccine side effects

• US Measles Outbreak Coincides With Lowest Child Immunisation Rate in 10 Years